Rafael Hui conferred with Kwoks after key meetings, graft trial told

Former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan would meet the tycoon Kwok brothers soon after closed-door meetings with top officials to discuss two development projects, the Court of First Instance heard yesterday.

Prosecutor David Perry QC was seeking to demonstrate how the Sun Hung Kai Properties co-chairmen apparently obtained inside information about the West Kowloon cultural district and Ma Wan projects from the former No 2 official.

Perry was wrapping up his opening remarks in the corruption trial of Hui, Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong and Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, a case he said was "business in politics" and "degrading of public service".

Hui, 66, whom Perry has described as the property magnates' "eyes and ears", is alleged to have taken HK$34 million in cash and inducements from the Kwoks while serving different public roles. He faces eight charges related to bribery and misconduct in public office.

Thomas Kwok, 62, faces one charge of conspiracy to offer an advantage to Hui and two of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. Raymond Kwok, 61, faces four charges, including one with Hui of furnishing false information. SHKP executive director Thomas Chan Kui-yuen, 67, and former Hong Kong stock exchange official Francis Kwan Hung-sang, 63, each face two charges. All plead not guilty.

Perry said yesterday that a diary entry by Raymond Kwok on November 30, 2005, showed the brothers had lunch with Hui six days after Hui had a discussion with then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen over their dispute with the government over the Ma Wan project.

The company sought a change to the ratio between ferry and road access to the island, he said, while SHKP and the government had a dispute over a delay in the development.